Roasted garlic recipes

This week's Sunday Supper recipe is just one example of roasted garlic's versatility and utility. Here are four others.

ROASTED GARLIC AND ROSEMARY POLENTA

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Note: From "The Farm" by Ian Knauer (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $30).

1 whole garlic head

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 c. chicken stock

1 c. cornmeal

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. mascarpone cheese

Directions

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring stock and water to boil. Whisk in cornmeal in a slow stream. Squeeze garlic cloves from their skins, then add to polenta, along with rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Cook the polenta, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently toward the end of cooking, until it is thickened and soft to the chew, 45 minutes to an hour, depending upon the grind of your cornmeal. Whisk in mascarpone, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

PENNE WITH ROASTED GARLIC, SAUTEED CHERRY TOMATOES AND BASIL

Serves 4.

Note: Adapted from "A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen" by Jack Bishop (Houghton Mifflin, $35).

1 whole garlic head

1 1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Salt

For pasta:

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

10 oz. (about 2 c.) cherry tomatoes

1/2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes

12 large fresh basil leaves, slivered

Directions

To prepare garlic: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Rub off most but not all of garlic's outer papery skins. Using a serrated knife, cut off the top 1/2 inch from the bulb. Place garlic in a shallow baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons water to bottom of pan, cover with aluminum foil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and roast for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until cloves are pliable and slightly browned. Remove from oven and cool until ready to handle.

To prepare pasta: Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot for cooking the pasta. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain pasta.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add cherry tomatoes and salt to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic puree and pepper flakes and cook just until heated through, about 1 minute.

Toss drained pasta with garlic-tomato sauce and basil, adding reserved cooking liquid as necessary to moisten pasta. Serve immediately.

FONTINA, SPINACH, SALAMI AND ROASTED GARLIC STRATA

Serves 8.

4 whole garlic heads

4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Butter for pan

5 c. cubed baguette (with crust)

2 c. grated Fontina chese

1 qt. whole milk

1 tsp. dried mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 c. frozen chopped spinach

1 c. Italian salami, cut into matchsticks

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Rub off most but not all of garlic's outer papery skins. Using a serrated knife, cut off the top 1/2 inch from the bulb. Place garlic in a shallow baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons water to bottom of pan, cover with aluminum foil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and roast for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until cloves are pliable and slightly browned. Remove from oven and cool until ready to handle. Roughly chop and reserve.

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place bread cubes in dish and sprinkle with cheese. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard and salt. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes. Sprinkle spinach, salami and roasted garlic over egg mixture and fold them in gently. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove plastic wrap and bake until mixture has puffed up slightly and is golden brown on top, and strata doesn't shimmy with uncooked custard when you shake the pan, about 60 minutes (tent the dish with aluminum foil if top is browning too quickly). Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon by the spoonful, using a large serving spoon.

ROASTED GARLIC AND CREAM CHEESE DIP

Note: From "Reasons to Roast" by Georgia Chan Downard and Evie Righter (Houghton Mifflin, $15).

2 whole garlic heads

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 c. low-fat plain yogurt

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp. freshly minced chives

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Raw cut fresh vegetables such as carrots, celery, radishes, cucumbers, red bell peppers and zucchini

Directions

In a food processor, combine cream cheese, sour cream and yogurt. Add roasted garlic and process until smooth.